Cryptocurrencies

Tether Is the Most Used Stablecoin in Illicit Crypto Flows, TRM Says

  • About 1.6% of Tether volume linked to illicit activity in 2023
  • Sanctions cut the value of criminal transactions using Tether

The token known as USDT was linked to $19.3 billion of illicit transactions in 2023.

Photographer: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg
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Tether was the most used stablecoin for criminal activity in crypto last year, a period when the overall volume of illicit transactions in the sector fell as more digital-asset outfits faced sanctions, according to TRM Labs.

The token known as USDT was linked to $19.3 billion of illicit transactions in 2023, down from $24.7 billion the previous year, blockchain analytics company TRM Labs said in a report and emailed responses to questions.